Case Study- Killer in the Woods

KILLER IN THE WOODS

Background

Leanne Tiernan, a 16-year-old girl from Leeds, disappeared on 26 November 2000 while on her way home from shopping for Christmas gifts. She was later found to have been grabbed by John Taylor while walking along an unlit path. He took her to his house, sexually assaulted her, and strangled her to death. Tiernan's parents were divorced and her father was away on holiday at the time of her disappearance. Her mother reported her missing to the police immediately.

Investigation

Following Leanne Tiernan's disappearance, an extensive search operation involving the examination of numerous properties and areas was conducted, including moorlands and underwater and air searches. However, it was not until August 2001 that her body was discovered by a dog-walker in Lindley Woods, West Yorkshire. Tiernan's body was found with a black bin-liner over her head, fastened with a dog collar. Cable ties and a scarf were also found around her neck. The post mortem examination suggested that the body had not been buried for the entire nine months since her disappearance. A man had been seen carrying a large bundle into the woods a few days earlier. Forensic evidence was hoped to be present to help investigators identify the killer.

Forensic examination

John Taylor was identified as a suspect during the investigation of Leanne Tiernan's murder as he had been seen hunting small animals in the area where her body was found.

Forensic investigators found dog hairs on Tiernan's body and sent the sample to a university in Texas for DNA profiling. Although a partial profile for a dog was produced, police could not link it to Taylor as his dog had died. Mitochondrial DNA testing was then used to create a DNA profile from human hair found in a scarf around Tiernan's neck, which matched Taylor's DNA.

Taylor’s crimes

• In a mask, Taylor attacked a 32-year-old woman on 18 October 1988 with a knife. She was walking across some waste ground near Houghley Gill, Leeds when he attacked the woman with a knife. He forced her to commit a sexual act on him and later raped her.

• On 1 March 1989, Taylor masked again, attacked another 21-year-old with a knife at Bamley home. It was lunchtime and her baby was in another room. He forcefully took her to her bedroom, undressed her, blindfolded and gagged her. He then forced her to commit a sexual act on him and then raped her.

Verdict

John Taylor admitted to abducting but denied killing Leanne Tiernan, claiming she fell off his bed and died. However, the post-mortem examination revealed that the degree of decomposition of the body was inconsistent with burial in the ground for nine months, suggesting that Taylor had kept the body in his deep freeze before burying it. Taylor was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for a minimum of 30 years. He was also convicted of two previous rapes. He was sent to Wakefield prison. Tiernan's mother expressed relief that he could not hurt anyone else but stated that their agony continues.

Author:- Srishti Dutta